3 resistance fighters walk into a bar...

[ouzel]

WHO: Cassian, Marco & Ax
WHERE: the atrium
WHEN: Oh-God-Hundred in the morning on Dec 19th
WHAT: Everyone is paranoid and Cassian and Ax don't trust each other, so they're meeting. That's how these things go, isn't it?
WARNINGS: Snarky teenagers and a salty winter adult

Cassian recognizes high-level paranoia when he encounters it; his attempt at keeping his first name off the network failed when Marco revealed it, but that was fine. Merely an encouragement to figure out how to redact and create anonymous or alternative user profiles on the network.

He was probably being too paranoid about it, honestly, but he doesn't know how much reach his name has after what he's done, and he's sure that there's more than a few Imperial officers who wouldn't mind putting a blaster hole in him. Even here, after the fact.

Besides this person, whomever they were, seemed just as paranoid, and that could be good or bad. Most Imperials he met were not, as a rule, but that probably had a lot to do with being assured that they were the power in play.

So.

Either way, he's at the atrium in about fifteen minutes, stopping near the entrance and glancing around, looking for anyone who seems to be waiting. It's not terribly busy at this hour, anyway.

Comments

[ouzel]

Cassian can feel his face sliding into neutral displeasure in order to mask his basic reaction of utter horror and what the fuck am I watching happen in front of my very eyes?, considering that it's not...well. It's not the most useful reaction, even if it is the most honest. The most honest reactions are the least useful reactions, in Cassian's experience.

Besides which this is all a bit fascinating. He'd have pinned Marco for a baseline human, honestly, not...whatever is capable of what Cassian just witnessed.

He raises his eyebrows.

"It's a religious order, or what's left of it is. I'm not the best one for explaining, I'm not sensitive to that sort of thing at all." The Force, in general. Icebergs have had more of a reaction to the Force than Cassian has in his lifetime.

[canadese]

Ax files that information away to possibly use later. Truth be told, it's not very relevant to him, considering this man seems to be from a completely different part of space--possibly even an entirely different dimension--from him. He's never heard of this Jedi and he expects he never will.

What's more important is Cassian's reaction. Ax was watching his face very closely, and while it's still not intuitive for him he's spent enough time around humans to be able to read their expressions. Cassian definitely reacted, but in what way, Ax really couldn't say.

So he's still a mystery. Ax isn't a fan of those. He stays on his guard.

"You are very calm for never having witnessed morphing before."

[ouzel]

Cassian looks at Aximilli with raised eyebrows, expression shifting from neutral to something slightly more responsive, but only slightly.

"There's not much to be gained by losing my shit, at this point. None of that," he gestures at Marco, grimacing just slightly, "looked either fun or comfortable, and it is definitely out of my range of abilities, but I can respect that it is possible without being an ass about it."

[brightline]

Marco can't help the way his mouth purses at the mention of a religious order, because maybe his mom managed to get through the war still believing in god, but Marco didn't. But Cassian says he's not sensitive to that sort of thing, so he doesn't comment.

Part of him is pretty thankful the suit he got when he woke up on this ship is so great for morphing - he looks a lot less stupid wearing it than he did in his old morphing suit, that's for sure. Feels less off his guard than he would if he were in spandex and a tight t-shirt.

It's a relief when Ax calls Cassian on his seeming non-chalance, because it means Marco can watch his face for the tell-tale darkness behind Cassian's eyes. It doesn't come, though, and for a moment, Marco wishes Cassie were here, observing, so she could tell them if she thought Cassian was lying or on the up-and-up. She's better at that than Marco is, can read people in a way even he can't. But she isn't here, so he has to do his best.

And Cassian seems pretty legit, not because of his assertion that there's nothing to be gained by losing his shit (though that's a point in his favor for sure) but because he says he can respect that it's possible without seeming to acknowledge what it might mean. After all, the Yeerks don't disbelieve that the Animorphs can do what they do, they're infuriated by who they are and what they've done. All in all, it sets Marco pretty at ease.

"Believe me, it's about as comfortable and fun as it looks, my man. So, like, you've never seen anyone do this before? It's old hat where I come from. Everyone does it."

[canadese]

Ax makes a sudden jerky movement toward Marco, like he's startled. Morphing actually isn't still available to everyone--it's still considered military technology, so the statement catches him by surprise.

He stays surprised for about half a second, and then he realizes that Marco is bluffing. Of course.

"Yes. What he said is the truth." Smooth.

[ouzel]

Cassian frowns. He could believe what Marco is saying if not for Ax's reaction, which is interesting, but then again he supposes he hasn't been deemed fully trustworthy just as of yet.

"So." To Aximili. "We need to work on your handshake, if you're going to be passing as human. Also your Sabbac face." Because you are a terrible liar, kid, and it is not working in your favor. "No offense, please."

[brightline]

Marco can't help it, he rolls his eyes as Ax responds, lets out a huff of air that probably only serves to give it away even more. Not that there's much more to give. If Cassian has half a brain cell in his head, he'll be able to tell it was a bluff.

And Cassian really looks like the kind of guy who has half a brain cell in his head.

Marco manages to restrain himself from elbowing Ax, and glances up at Cassian as he starts having a go at Ax's "Sabbac face," which he can only assume is an alien version of "poker face."

Instead of commenting, he just smirks, dark eyes flicking between Cassian and Ax, amused more than anything, waiting for Ax to answer.